This invention relates generally to an electrical connector and, more particularly, to an electrical connector for interconnecting conductive traces on a pair of electronic components.
Electronic systems such as computers and calculators commonly utilize alpha numerical dislay panels. The more frequently used display panels are the light emitting diode, the liquid crystal display and the gas discharge types. All of these types of displays utilize a similar method of connecting to the logic circuit in the electronic system. Conductive traces leading from each display are bonded to traces on the logic circuit by means of dots of conductive epoxy. The dots of conductive epoxy are placed on the traces on the logic circuit by hand by the use of a hypodermic needle. The display panel is then placed over the logic circuit with the traces thereon engaging the dots of the conductive epoxy. Needless to say, this technique of electrically connecting the conductive traces on the display panel and logic circuit is very time consumming. Furthermore, this interconnection arrangement provides a somewhat permanent assembly, making it generally impractical for replacement of either the display panel or the logic circuit in the field. As a consequence, the electronic system normally has to be returned to the factory for repair.
With the advent of microdisplays used in miniature computers and digital wristwatches, the problem of interconnecting the display panels to the logic circuits has become acute. The use of conductive epoxy dots to interconnect the traces on the electronic components is frequently impractical since sometimes adjacent dots come into contact causing a short circuit. While electrical connecting devices are available for this application, their sizes are of major design concern particularly in such small devices as digital wristwatches. In addition, such devices frequently damage the conductive traces on the display panel during mating of the electronic components by the connector.
It is known in the art that conductive elastomers may be utilized for performing electrical interconnections, such as for interconnecting an IC to a printed circuit board. The disadvantage of conductive elastomers is high long term compression set which is caused by the massive fillers required to achieve conductivity in the elastomers. Therefore, these conductive elastomer connectors are not entirely suitable for use in interconnecting display panels to logic circuits in miniature devices. Also conductivity of conductive elastomers is poor resulting in restricted circuit applications.
The aforementioned copending application Ser. No. 549,774 discloses a connector which comprises basically an elongated nonconductive elastomeric member having spaced conductive coatings thereon extending to the upper and lower surfaces of the elastomeric member for interconnecting the traces on the electronic components. Such connector overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art electrical interconnection arrangements since it is separable from the electronic components that it is interconnecting, thus allowing replacement of the components in the field. The connector may be made sufficiently small for use in miniature systems, it will not cause damage to the traces on the electronic components and is not subject to high long term compression set. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide another form of electrical connector having the aforementioned advantages.